Process of making sheets for photo albums or the like



1958 E. A. VIESTURS 3,398,036

PROCESS OF MAKING SHEETS FOR PHOTO ALBUMS OR THE LIKE Original Filed May17, 1966 INVENTOR.

Eric A, VL'eSZu/"S @VZ KZM United States Patent 3,398,036 PROCESS OFMAKING SHEETS FOR PHOTO ALBUMS OR THE LIKE Eric A. Viesturs, 14 CottageSt., East Norwalk, Conn. 06855 Original application May 17, 1966, Ser.No. 550,673. Divided and this application June 5, 1967, Ser. No.

Claims. (Cl. 156267) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is adivision of my copen'ding application Ser. No. 550, 673, filed May 17,1966, now abandoned and entitled, Photo Album or the Like and Process ofMaking Sheets for Same.

This invention relates to photo albums and similar structures, and moreparticularly to a method for making filler sheets or leaves for thesame.

Objects of the invention are to provide an improved method of producingpocket or envelope type filler sheets for albums and the like, whichutilizes high production techniques and preassem'bly procedures toreduce the fabri cation costs while providing an improved product; toprovide an improved method for producing said filler sheets, which issimple, easily carried out with relatively little equipment,and reliableand foolproof in its procedures; to provide an improved method as above,which results in a rugged and durable product not susceptible tofailure; to provide a novel and improved process for producing a photoalbum sheet or similar structure, which is especially convenient to use,that produces a product having increased accessibility of the picturesor contents, and which presents a large expanse while folding into acompact shape and size for storage; to provide an improved process forproducing an album as above, which is simple, reliable, and of lowmanufacturing cost.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one a paratus by means ofwhich the improved method of the invention is carried out.

FIG. 2 is a transverse section through filler sheet stock, taken on theline 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a photo album con structed in accordancewith the invention.

Considering first FIG. 3, there is illustrated a photo album or similarstructure, having a plurality of filler sheets or leaves 10, 12. FIG. 2illustrates in cross section the formation of the filler leaves 10, 12,each such filler leaf comprising a plurality of filler sheets 14, 16, 18and 20 which may be advantageously constituted of stiff paper. Thefiller sheets 14, 16, 18 and 20 are disposed in pockets formed bytransparent upper and lower plastic protective sheets 22, 24respectively, the said protective sheets being joined together by heatseals (bar seals) 26 disposed in straight lines which extend along theadjoining side edges of the filler sheets 14, 16, 18 and 20. Also, theupper and lower transparent cover sheets 22, 24 are joined togetheralong other straight lines extending at their outer or remote edges, byheat seals 28 and also by adjoining tear seals 30, such joining beingalso effected by a heat sealing procedure and being located only at theremote opposite edges of the assemblage of cover sheets and fillersheets.

As seen in FIG. 2, the seals 28 and 30 not only secure together thecover sheets 22, 24 but the seals 30 also virtually sever or cut throughthe said cover sheets, thereby to enable edge scrap portions of theunfinished assemblage to be torn away, leaving straight, nicely finishedsealed edges.

The filler leaves 10, 12 are seen to be perforated along one side edgeeach, to accommodate looseleaf hinges 32, 34 as shown in FIG. 3.

In accordance with the present invention a novel and improved method isprovided for producing the filler leaves 10, 12 in high productionquantities, and in a most economical fashion while still resulting in arugged and durable, especially useful product. The method of theinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown here, the upper transparentplastic cover sheet 22 is supplied from a continuous roll of plasticsheet stock 38, and the lower cover sheet 24 is supplied from a secondcontinuous roll of plastic sheet stock 40. =In FIG. 1, the cover sheets22, 24-are actually in the form of continuous webs which are suppliedfrom the rolls 38, 40 and are brought in superposed relation, asillustrated.

Adjoining the rolls 38, 40 are rolls 42, 44, 46 and 48 of relativelystiff paper sheet stock or equivalent material, said rolls supplying thefiller sheets or webs 14, 16, 18 and 20 respectively. The webs 14, 16,18 and 20 are interposed between the webs 22, 24 in edge-to-ed'ge spacedrelation with each other, and the outer edges of the outer webs 14, 20are spaced a short distance within the side edges of the cover webs 22,24.

All of the webs 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 are simultaneously fed insuperposed relation from the continuous supply rolls to a sealingstation which is designated generally by the numeral 50. It will benoted that at the said sealing station 50, the webs 14, 16, 18, and 20are in edgeto-edge relation but spaced apart, and also spaced from theremote edges of the cover webs 22, 24.

The sealing station 50 comprises a platen or bed 52 which may beconstituted of a metal plate 54 and a plastic plate or bufier sheet 56of phenolic or other composition.

The sealing station 50 further comprises a metal die 58 having aplurality of depending brass electrodes 60 disposed in parallel relationand having a respective spacing which is slightly greater than the widthof any one of the filler sheets or webs 14, 16, 18 and 20.

The die 58 is shown diagrammatically as being connected by a wire 62 toa source of radio frequency power 64 which is also connected by a wire66 with the metal plate 54 of the platen 52. Such connections arediagrammatic, and actually the electrical connections which theyrepresent are made by metal ribbons having a large surface area.

The assemblage of webs 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 passes over and issupported by the platen 52, and for the purpose of heat-sea-ling thecover sheets 22, 24 to each other in the manner indicated in FIG. 2, theidie 58 is lowered so that the die strips 60 engage the upper coversheet or Web 22 along straight lines 'which are disposed beyond theedges of the paper webs 14, 16, 18 and 20. With the die 58 lowered andin the said position pressing against the assemblage of the webs, the RFpower when applied to the die will effect a heating of the webassemblage and cause the webs to be heat-sealed in the manner shown inFIG. 2, the outermost seals also constituting tear seals by which thescrap portions of the assemblage may be readily torn off to leave smoothsealed edges of the composite web structure.

After the heat sealing at the station 50, the die 58 is raised, and theweb assemblage is advanced or indexed from right to left to present newportions of the assemblage at the sealing station 50. The heat sealingoperation as described is then repeated on the new portions of theassemblage. Thus, by a single operation of the die 58, five straightedges along the paper webs 14, 16, 18 and 20 are simultaneouslyheat-sealed and tear-sealed.

As each new portion of the assemblage is presented at the sealingstation 50 to be heat-sealed, the previous heatsealed portion isavailable to be severed transversely from the assemblage. The severedheat-sealed portions may then be further cut into specific lengths, andone edge of each specific length may be perforated to accommodate one orthe other of the loose-leaf hinges 32, 34. A number of such fillerleaves is carried by each of the looseleaf hinges 32, 34 as illustratedin FIG. 3.

It will now be understood that the filler leaves 10, 12 may be veryeconomically and quickly produced by a high production method inaccordance with the showing of FIG. 1. Not only is the cost of thefiller leaves kept to a minimum figure, but the filler leaves are foundto be especially durable and sturdy, particularly when the transparentcover sheets 22, 24 are made of a vinyl composition.

In accordance with the invention the filler leaves 10, 12 as thus madeare incorporated in a novel album structure, such structure comprising arelatively stiff back panel 70 provided along its opposite parallel sideedges with the looseleaf hinges 32, 34. The filler leaves 10, 12 have awidth which is slightly less than half the width of the back panel 70,and the said filler leaves are divided into two sets which are securedrespectively to the side edges of the back panel by the looseleafhinges. There is also provided a relatively rigid inner cover panel 74which is of lesser width than the back panel and which is hingedlysecured to the right side edge of the back panel, as by the looseleafhinge 34. Also, there is provided an outer cover panel 76 which issubstantially of the same width as the back panel 70 and is hingedlysecured to the other or left side edge of the back panel, as by a usualtype of fold hinge 78.

It will now be seen that with the cover panels 74, 76 in the openposition 'as illustrated, and with the sets of filler leaves 10, 12 intheir open positions, a large expanse is had comprising the equivalentof four widths of a filler leaf. If each filler leaf comprises fourpockets or envelopes, each holding a picture, then a combined expansemay represent a total of sixteen pictures as seen in FIG. 3. It is to benoted that each picture will be separately and individually accessible,by such arrangement. However, with such large expanse, the album stillfolds into a standard "book-size, as by first folding inward the innercover panel 74, closing the set of pages 12 and thereafter foldinginward the outer cover panel 76, closing the remaining set of fillerleaves 10. The effective width of the album is accordingly that of theback panel 70, when the album is closed. Yet, when the album is openthere is had an effective width of twice this, over which pictures maybe displayed.

It will be understood, referring to FIG. 2, that pictures such assnapshots and the like may be interposed between the filler sheets andthe cover sheets so that each pocket or envelope may contain twosnapshots, visible from opposite sides of the filler leaf. Thus, eachfiller leaf 10, 12 may carry a total of eight snapshots, four beingvisible at each side thereof.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided animproved process for making sheets or filler leaves for photo albums andthe like, producing a. highly desirable end product which is rugged anddurable, not likely to be easily torn or to malfunction, and yet whichwill be produced easily and quickly, and with the greatest possibleeconomy. By providing the cover panels 70, 74 and 76 with a vinylcovering, an extremely durable album results, and one which may have anespecially attractive, leatherlike finish.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. The method of making filler leaves for a photo album or the like,which comprises the steps of simultaneously feeding in superposedrelation and from continuous supply rolls two webs of heat-scalableplastic sheet material, simultaneously feeding a plurality of spacednarrower filler webs of sheet material in edge-to-edge relation and fromcontinuous supply rolls, with and between said plastic Webs and inspaced relation to the side edges of said plastic webs, halting theassemblage of said webs at a sealing station, heat sealing the plasticwebs to each other along straight lines which extend along all sideedges of said filler webs while the assemblage is at said sealingstation, thereafter advancing said assemblage of webs including saidheat sealed portion to bring new portions of the assemblage to theheat-sealing station, and repeating the heat-sealing operation on saidnew portions of the assemblage.

2. The method of claim 1, and including the additional step of severingthe first-mentioned heat-sealed portion of the assemblage from theremainder of the assemblage after the said repeating of the heat-sealingoperation.

3. The method of claim 2, and including the additional steps of cuttingthe severed assemblage portion into specific lengths, perforating edgeportions of said specific lengths along the cut edges thereof, andassembling said perforated lengths on a looseleaf hinge.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the side edges of the web assemblageare tear-sealed, to enable edge scrap portions to be readily torn off.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the heat-sealing operations on allportions of the plastic webs at the sealing station are donesimultaneously.

No references cited.

DOUGLAS I. DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner.

